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Utter collapse: Rangers beat Devils 5-2

By Peter Hassett

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April 29, 2023 10:43 pm

The New Jersey Devils kicked off Game Six against the New York Rangers like a team determined to end the series. That lasted maybe 19 minutes, then they turned into a frustrated fluffle of bashful bunnies. [Note: I’m covering the Devils this postseason. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made, and that includes the time I had a mohawk.]

Curtis Lazar found a bad rebound from Igor Shesterkin and converted it into an early lead for the Devils. That lead did not survive the period; however, as Chris Kreider tipped in a shot in the last thirty seconds. Those last few seconds seemed to change everything.

In the second period, Mika Zibenejad got his first goal of the postseason, scoring on a pass from below the goal line to give New York the lead. After a failed clear, Vladimir Tarasenko potted a big shot to give the Rangers a two-goal lead after two periods.

In the third, Barclay Goodrow teamed up with Jimmy Vesey for an odd-man break to make it 4-1 Rangers. Braden Schneider, an unlikely scorer, got one from way out. Mercer got a power-play goal with five minutes left, but it was over.

Rangers win 5-2. The series is tied 3-3. Game Seven will be on Monday night.

  • Starting with the Lumon out-of-town scoreboard: the Toronto Maple Leafs have have advanced to the second round for the first time since the late 80s (2004). I expect them to get swept by the Panthers or Bruins in the second round.
  • Back in my day *shakes fist at cloud*, Dawson Mercer tripping Patrick Kane on a breakaway would have been a clean play as long as he got hit the puck first. That rule was revised some years back and now it’s called a trip any time you trip a guy, which is succint-er.
  • On that power play, the Rangers snapped a slump that had them goal-less in 14 straight opportunities. Chris Kreider was the scorer there; he leads the series and postseason with six goals.
  • An edit I’d make on the tweet below: Timo Meier has been taking a beating all series. There could have been at least one penalty on that play. I suspect Gerard Gallant has been coaching this. Meier has no goals or assists.

  • The Devils dominated the first period, controlling 90.7 percent of the expected goals during five-on-five play. I say that to explain how destructive the team’s penalties were. Ondrej Palat, playing in his ninth postseason, committed two restraining penalties – a trip and a slash – on the far side of the Rangers net. That’s the place where a penalty is worth it least, and taking the Devils repeatedly off their even-strength play was ruinous.
  • The domination faded, and the Devils started making mistakes. The Zibenejad goal came after a takeaway along the goal line, and the Tarasenko goal came after a failed zone exit. By the third period, the Devils looked utterly jammed up. After controlling 90.7 percent of xG in the first period, they controlled 14.1 in the second period. Momentum shifts that dramatic don’t happen often.
  • Rookie goalie Akira Schmid is mortal after all. After giving up one goal or less in his last three appearances, Schmid got cracked a few times in Game Six, earning the hook after number five. Vitek Vanecek returned to action for the remainder, but I wouldn’t expect him in net for gay sev.
  • Both goals on Igor Shesterkin followed big rebounds. He’s not immortal either. (He’s still very good.)

  • You saw the pic at top, but beloved long-time New York Jets Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was in Madison Square Garden. I don’t know anything about football, but I’m assured Rodgers has a bright future ahead of him, leading the Jets to a new dynasty. He was sitting one row ahead of Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

Burn the tape. The tape is haunted, Grudge-style. There is nothing to learn from it except “don’t do penalties 195 feet from your own net.” Also: “maybe get a goal from Meier or Bratt or Hischier or Tatar.” There is no need to revisit this game, which was more of a psychic defeat than a tactical thing.

We’ve got Game Seven coming, the apotheosis of loffs, on Monday night.

Headline photo: ESPN on ABC/Screenshot

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